BNS Section 340: Forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter 18: Of Offences Relating to Documents and to Property Marks - Of property marks
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¶340.
(1) A false document or electronic record made wholly or in part by forgery is designated a forged document or electronic record.
¶(2) Whoever fraudulently or dishonestly uses as genuine any document or electronic record which he knows or has reason to believe to be a forged document or electronic record, shall be punished in the same manner as if he had forged such document or electronic record.
Study: explanations and related material
Replaces IPC 470, IPC 471. IPC → BNS converterSource: BPR&D BNS–IPC corresponding section table (UP Police, 2024-06-28)
Punishment, bail and trial
340(2)Using as genuine a forged document which is known to be forged.
- Punishment
- Punishment for forgery of such document.
- Cognizable or not
- Cognizable
- Bailable or not
- Bailable
- Triable by
- Magistrate of the first class
Source: BNSS First Schedule, Gazette of India, 25 December 2023, p. 186. The Schedule gives the substance of the section, not its full definition, and a State may have amended the classification for its territory. See it in the full First Schedule
Official reference: Ministry of Home Affairs: Gazette text, 25 December 2023 — source link checked: 2 October 2026.Recorded edition / snapshot date: 2024-07-01.Mobile-app reference import; the recorded snapshot date is not a fresh legal-currency guarantee. The linked government text is an independent authoritative reference, not certification that this website reproduces the same edition. The source link was checked, not every provision or subsequent amendment. Check commencement notifications, savings and jurisdiction-specific variations separately.
This text is for reference, not legal advice. Consult the official source for the authoritative text.
Other sections in this chapter
- 335. Making a false document
- 336. Forgery
- 337. Forgery of the record of a Court or of a public register, etc
- 338. Forgery of a valuable security, will, etc
- 339. Having possession of a document described in section 337 or section 338, knowing it to be forged and intending to use it as genuine
- 341. Making or possessing a counterfeit seal, etc., with intent to commit forgery punishable under section 338
- 342. Counterfeiting a device or mark used for authenticating documents described in section 338, or possessing counterfeit marked material
- 343. Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of a will, authority to adopt, or valuable security
- 344. Falsification of accounts
- 345. Property mark
- 346. Tampering with a property mark with the intent to cause injury
- 347. Counterfeiting a property mark
- 348. Making or possession of any instrument for counterfeiting a property mark
- 349. Selling goods marked with a counterfeit property mark
- 350. Making a false mark upon any receptacle containing goods